All posts tagged ‘Celebration VI’

Star Wars Celebration VI in late August was the biggest party in the galaxy. From celebrities to parties, there was something for everyone. The 501st Legion had a very strong presence. Known for professional grade costumes and charity work, the 501st Legion was a big part of the convention, with troopers coming from all over the world to showcase their costumes, props and sets.

501st Legion Room

Clone Trooper Locker Room \ Image and Build by Zach Winnermark

The 501st Legion room was a must see at Celebration VI. With costumes, props and sets on loan by some of the best builders in the legion, you could easily spend a few hours looking at everything. To make it all happen it took months of planning and personal spending for the troopers involved.

A couple of our troopers built sets and props specifically to show off at Celebration VI. From the clone locker room, to the legion moniker to the trash compactor set, the Florida Garrison brought all we had to the event. It took several hours, stretched over a couple of days to get the room and all the other 501st Legion areas set up. Florida Garrison troopers built and brought in their own sets, costumes and props to display in the room

Last weekend, I had the amazing opportunity to take part in Star Wars Celebration VI. Attending the convention was just one part of my experience. The other part was volunteering as the 501st Legion Kid Bash Coordinator. Running alongside the Imperial Bash, the Kid Bash was a party just for the kids of 501st Legion members.

The idea came about when parents starting inquiring about child care during the Imperial Bash. This had never been done before, so it was new territory for everyone. Since I have a child of my own, I figured I would step up to the plate and volunteer to head it up. When I first volunteered, I had no idea what I was getting into. Planning an event like this takes a lot of time, effort, and, most importantly, patience and organization. As I started to get the hang of it, I realized how much more I could do for the kids than what was originally required of me. It took some e-mailing back and forth, but I managed to secure the kids some humble decorations as well as some awesome prizes to take home.

A few of the companies I’ve worked with before on GeekMom were very generous in donating a prize to each child who attended the Kid Bash. We even had an artist, who donated his time, to create two very special pieces of artwork, exclusively for the event.

Dave Liew created the Kid Bash logos that were used on the signs, T-shirts, and swag bags. The art has been a hit among the 501st Legion membership and has received compliments from hotel guests who saw the logos on display. On more than one occasion, I saw Celebration VI convention goers stopping to take pictures of this amazing and unique artwork.

Crayola Story Studio / Image: Crayola

Crayola was kind enough to give each attendee a Story Studio: Star Wars Edition. With Story Studio, you can take an ordinary picture of your child and turn them into a one of a kind character in a story book. It comes with everything you need for your child to create a unique story that is all their own. Crayola Story Studio is available at select Crayola retailers as well as through Crayola’s website.

Lego Build-able Galaxy \ Image: Lego

My son is in love with Lego, so when they offered to donate one of the newest additions to their Star Wars line, the Build-able Galaxy: Tie Interceptor and Death Star set, I was thrilled. I knew this would be a hit with every child in the room. All of the Lego pieces fit inside the Death Star and once your child builds the set, they can fly their new ship around or let it sit on the included Lego stand. You can purchase this set from your local Lego retailer or through Lego’s website.

GeoPalz / Image: GeoPalz

Last, but not least, is GeoPalz. The GeoPalz is a pedometer that not only counts the steps your child takes, it also rewards them for taking strides to a healthier lifestyle. The GeoPalz website allows parents to monitor their child’s physical activity and it sends them weekly updates with their child’s progress. Once the child reaches a certain level, they can receive prizes, ranging from certificates of achievement to gift cards for their efforts. GeoPalz can be purchased through their website or select retailers nationwide.

Later in the evening, the children were visited by some very special guests. C3P0 and R2-D2 were in the house for the Imperial Bash and decided to take a quick walk upstairs to see the kids. Everyone in the room could not have been more excited to see them. The little ones were especially happy to see R2. Some of the older children had some interesting questions for C3P0, which he was more than happy to answer.

Not long after, Timothy Zahn andSteve Sansweet stopped by. This time, the older kids could barely contain their excitement. I think they spent more time with them than C3P0 and R2. They had so many questions, and Timothy and Steve were both happy to answer each and every one of them. It was great seeing two very important men take some time to speak to the kids. I know it made the kids feel special to have them all to themselves for a few moments.

The Kid Bash was definitely a learning experience for me. It’s been awesome hearing the parents tell me how much fun their children had and several wish they could have gone back the next day. One parent told me that their child walked around all of CVI with their ticket to the Kid Bash, to show it off to anyone that would look. This made me realize that something that seemed like a small detail to me, such as making tickets for the kids, could mean a lot to them.

Again, thank you to everyone who contributed to this events success as well as the success of the everything the 501st Legion accomplished at Celebration VI. It takes an amazing team to make things like this happen and I’m proud to have been a part of it.

Would you like to join up with the ranks of the 501st Legion? Leave me a comment and I’ll help point you in the right direction.

Last week, I had the privilege of attending Star Wars Celebration VI, in Orlando, Florida. Star Wars fans came from all over the world to see the sites and experience all that the convention had to offer. As a parent, GeekMom reporter, and 501st Legion member/Kid Bash Coordinator, my Celebration VI experience was a little different from that of most convention attendees.

Me and Dave Filoni, Director of the Clone Wars the Animated Series \ Image: April Izzo

As a parent, I was able to see the convention the way many people get to see it as well as through the eyes of my child.

As a GeekMom reporter, I was given access to some really cool events that I would not have had the privilege of attending otherwise.

As the Kid Bash Coordinator for the 501st Legion, I got to experience a little bit of the stress that that the event coordinators have to go through to make some of the events happen (thankfully, my stress was nowhere near what theirs was).

For at least one day, I decided to just be a normal convention attendee (well, normal with a media badge anyway) and walked the convention floor.

For the toy collector, there were plenty of things to choose from. For the most part, I saw a lot of action figures. Because many of the toys were older than me and several of the vendors were not child friendly, I had to forgo looking at a lot of them. This really bugged me at first, but after I realized that what they had didn’t really interest me, I decided my money was best spent elsewhere (like say…the DK Publishing booth).

Of course, no Celebration experience would be complete without the 501st Legion. Our room at Celebration V was nothing to sneeze at, but at Celebration VI, we raised the bar! With costumes on display by some of the best costumers in the Florida Garrison, as well as some very unique picture locations, the members of the Florida Garrison showed everyone at CVI exactly how we roll. There was much more going on in there than I have room to write here, so stay tuned for my CVI: 501st Legion Experience post.

After my son was out of school, I had to slip into parent mode. Once he arrived at the convention, he had his own set of priorities.

First and foremost, he reallyenjoyed Lego’s setup. The cartoon shorts they showed above their booth were enough to keep him occupied for quite a while. Another one of his favorite spots was the pool of Legos on the convention floor. This was a very popular place with the kids and the carpet was nice and soft for the parents to sit down and relax a little.

Having my son with me gave me some insight into taking children to conventions. I realized that just because a convention is geared towards the family, that doesn’t necessarily mean the whole convention is for the family. Family friendly areas were set up throughout the convention, but things like panels and vendors were more for those without young children.

Friday and Saturday I was in full GeekMom reporter mode.

Celebrities were at every corner. Here is my husbands favorite CVI moment: Himself with Temuera Morrison / Image: Dakster Sullivan

My connections with GeekMom got me invited to a couple of really neat events. Due to my anxiety being a little out of control on Saturday, I had to bow out of one of them. It was one of those days where I was grateful for my husband and my legion brothers and sisters, who had my back the entire time that I needed them. I did manage to make it to one of the special events, but I can’t discuss here because I signed a waiver saying that I wouldn’t. Once they give me the all clear to discuss it, though, you will be the first to hear about it.

Friday was also the big day for the 50s1t Legion Imperial Bash and the Kid Bash.

As the Kid Bash coordinator, I was in charge of the “babysitting room” for the largest party in the galaxy, the Imperial Bash. I’ve only been in the legion for a little over a year and taking on a responsibility like this was pretty big. My part involved researching and contracting a sitting service, communicating with the parents for sign up, payment, and, of course, getting the kids some swag of their own to go home with. There were days I wondered what I was thinking at the time I volunteered for this position and looking back at it now, I’m happy I did it. It was a learning experience to say the least and it gave me the right to say I helped with the Imperial Bash (even if it was such a small role).

The sets were amazing. Here’s Brandon enjoying some Blue Milk with his new friends of the Belgian Garrison. \ Image: Dakster Sullivan

Of everything I experienced, I have two favorites. The first is getting hug from my favorite wookiees. After having panic attacks all morning, it made me feel really good. The other was getting the chance to have a one on one conversation with Dave Filoni, and him handing me one of his Wolf Pack buttons. Those are memories I plan on framing up in my office one day.

Overall, I would have to say that my Celebration VI experience was okay. I had some great experiences and I took some really nice pictures to remember it by. I’m hoping that Celebration VII will be in Orlando in 2014, so I can have another run at it. I didn’t get to do as much as I had planned, but I still some experiences I wouldn’t change for anything.

If you were lucky, then last weekend you were in Florida enjoying the wonder of Celebration VI in Orlando. One of those lucky people was geek blogger Amy Ratcliffe. She covers all sorts of geekery on her blog, Geek With Curves, and is just about the biggest Star Wars fan ever. Listen in as GeekMom Nicole Wakelin chats with Amy who shares all the details, from Roxie the Rancor to a stint in the garbage chute to what it was like being in the same room as George Lucas!

Star Wars Celebration VI, the biggest Star Wars party in the galaxy, will be in Orlando, Florida this week and I’ve been planning and scheming for it since it was announced last year. The 501st Legion has been hard at work getting everything ready for this event and we can’t wait to show you all what we’ve done. To add to the fun, I have a special surprise for those attending…

Anyone who can find me and says “GeekMom rocks!” will receive a special GeekMom emblem patch! The patches were made specifically for Celebration VI, so you won’t find them anywhere else right now.

I’m really excited about everything happening at Celebration VI. From panels to parties, to red carpet premieres, you never know where I’ll show up next. One thing’s for sure, I’ll be there all four days and geeking out at all the Star Wars celebrities, collectibles and costumes. Did I mention that ThinkGeek has a booth this year? I’ve only ever seen them online, so you know I’ll be hitting them up like a Twi’lek at a dance off!

The patches are limited to 100 so if you want one, you better keep an eye out for me. Bonus points if you can find me in one of my 501st Legion or Rebel Legion costumes. To make it a little easier for you, I’ll be tweeting some hints on where you can find me. Make sure to follow me on Twitter (@Dak903) to stay updated.

So, if you see me and you want a patch, make sure you come up and say hi!

Star Wars Celebration is the biggest Star Wars party in the galaxy, and from August 23rd till August 26th, it will be in Orlando, Florida. Fun for the whole family, there are events tailored to the young and old.

But how do you go about finding it all out? That’s why I’m here to help. I’ve got the inside scoop on everything going on for the young ones in your group.

Brandon was four years old when he went to Celebration V in 2010. We arrived two hours prior to the event opening and brought snacks and some toys to keep him occupied. Once we were in the main room, he was just as excited as we were to see everything. He was a little skittish around the 501st members, but he was in love with the droids. It took him a few dozen vendors to get bored. It wasn’t until the end of our day that we finally found the kids room and he got to have some fun (and my husband and I got a break).

To help out any newbies attending with their families, I decided to reach out and find out about the kid friendly scheduling. One of the activities I enjoy the most before a convention, is planning out my day. I get so excited when the schedule comes out and I finally have the chance to plan everything out.

It’s also a great family activity, going through the various schedules and deciding what to hit.

To help you along, I reached out to the individuals responsible for the Family Room and have obtained a complete schedule of events for families at Celebration VI. Print it out and let your children mark up their schedule, while you mark up your own.

CVI Family Room Programming Schedule / Parents are welcomed to help and participate in all activities with their children.

My son has reviewed the schedule and here is what he thinks you should make some time for:

Starship Building Challenge with Chad
Chad shows the children how to make extraordinary things with everday recyclables.

Jawa Customizing with Pat
Pat takes existing action figures, makes a mold and creates little action figures from them. On his own, he has made a bunch of little Jawas and Gonk droids and the kids will be able to paint and customize their own little action figures.

Rotta the Huttlet with Terri
Terri has made a neat little craft where the kids will cut out little felt huttletts and stitch together a small stuffed huttlett. Due to the use of sewing needle, this activity is recommended for ages six-years old and up.

Star Wars Science with the Orlando Science Center
The Orlando Science Center will be bring their education program to Celebration VI. Each slot is a special project or experiment for the children to have fun while learning. There is no schedule for what will be done at each time slot and some activities might be duplicated.

Build Mandolorean Armor
This activity will be run by a separate group that will be coming in to help the kids make armor out of cardboard and duct tape. The kids will cut out the pattern pieces and help shape it to them and then tape it to their clothes. This should be a really fun activity for all children.

In addition to the Family Room, here are a few of my son’s other favorite activities that he enjoyed at Celebration V that will also be going on at Celebration VI:

Lego booth – Lego does a great job at having an interactive booth for families to enjoy. We can’t wait to see what they’ve got planned for this year.

DK Publishing is another vendor that is great with the kids. On certain days they have a giveaway for the kids (while supplies last).

501st Legion Room – The 501st Legion will be hosting a shoot-a-trooper event where, for a small donation, you can shoot a 501st Legion member with a nerf gun. This year, they even have Daniel Logan, the Galactic Academy and a group of Slave Leias standing in to be shot at.

Droid Builders Room – This is a great place for any fan of R2-D2.

Rebel Legion Room – The bad guys can seem a little intimidating, so for the fans of the good guys, check out the Rebel Legion’s booth.

It’s not to late to get your tickets! Go to Star Wars Celebration VI website to learn how to purchase the right one for you. They have several options available from single day to multi-day to family packages for you to pick from. So what are you waiting for? Go and may the force be with you!

Do you have any tips for families traveling to Star Wars Celebration VI? Share them in the comments!

Orlando, Florida is this year’s host for the biggest Star Wars party in the galaxy, Star Wars Celebration. From August 23rd through the 26th, the Rebellion and the Empire will be taking over and showcasing the best they have to offer. From costumes to celebrities to collectables (oh my!), this is a must-see event for every Star Wars fan in the universe. The Florida Garrison has been gearing up for this event for over a year now and we are ready and raring to go. If you are coming to the convention or just thinking about it, here are a few tips to get you ready.

Pre-Convention ChecklistHow much are the tickets and how can I purchase them?You can purchase tickets online, through a retailer or at the convention. If you pre-order your tickets, an adult single day ticket for Thursday, Friday and Sunday is $55 and Saturday is $60. A child ticket is $27 per day. If you plan on being at the con for all four days, look at getting a four day pass. Adults are $135 and Children are $57. Pre-ordered tickets can be picked up at Will Call at the convention center.

What hotels are closest to the convention center?
The convention center sits on International Drive and there are a ton of resorts to pick from. Check out Star Wars Celebration’s website for all the information you need to find and book a hotel close to the convention.

Traveling to the ConventionWhat is the best way to bring my costume to the Celebration VI?For starters, if you are flying into Orlando and you can afford to ship your costume to your hotel ahead of time, DO IT! I’ve heard this is the easiest and most hassle free way to get your costume to the hotel. Just make sure you let the hotel know you are expecting boxes (and ask if they charge to hold it till you arrive). Regardless if you’re flying or shipping your costume, one member suggests you pack it like you are going to drop it off a cliff (you never know what it will experience behind the scenes). Try to avoid taping it up, just in case a TSA employee has to unwrap it.

Some other packing tips include:

Keep in mind that Bubble wrap is great stuff, but it also sticks to some paints.

To save space, try wrapping your gear in your clothes.

Place pictures of your costume inside your container. If a TSA worker has to open it up, this will help them know what they’re looking at.

Place a note with your costume stating Star Wars Convention Costume.

Make sure you check up on the latest TSA guidelines for locking up your gear.

In Orlando, it’s a mouse who runs all the shots. At ThinkGeek’s headquarters in Virginia, it’s a monkey named Timmy. Since August 13th, 1999, he’s been the resident codemonkey and pretty much calls the shots around the office. Anyone who dares disobey him better be prepared to take a shower, because poo will be flung. And as the company mascot and overlord, Timmy is a monkey of many faces, most of them, as you’d imagine, quite geeky.

Timmy and Matt Smith / Image: ThinkGeek

Now, like any geek, Timmy enjoys going to cons, hanging out with fellow geeks, meeting celebri-geek heroes, and of course, indulging in cosplay. With first class plane tickets to any con he wishes, Timmy is a virtuoso of cosplay. But how does he do it?

To help get him ready, Timmy’s Volunteer Costuming Corps are there to make sure he never goes out in the same costume twice. Every costume Timmy is photographed in is the handy work of a member of the Volunteer Costume Corps. The program started three years ago and since then, Timmy’s closet has been bursting at the seams with over 100 costumes.

The skill and detail of these outfits are amazing!

Timmy and Mega Man / Image: ThinkGeek

The costumes in Timmy’s closet range from the 10th Doctor’s scarf to Chell’s jumpsuit and Portal Gun to a mind-blowing detailed Fallout ensemble with a working Pip Boy. No matter the occasion, Timmy has a costume that will fit the bill.

Timmy’s next major con appearance will be at Star Wars Celebration VI in Orlando, Fl (August 23rd – August 26th). In true Star Wars form, Timmy will be sporting his Stormtrooper costume! This will also be Timmy’s first appearance at a Star Wars Celebration, so don’t miss it.

A celebration of the female geek? No way would GeekMom miss that! Listen and join in a fun roundtable discussion with Cathé Post, Kelly Knox, and the other panelists in the “Geeks Raising Geeks” panel on Saturday.

Gen Con celebrates its 45th year bringing you The Best Four Days in Gaming. Nicole Wakelin will be on the Women and Gaming panel on Friday at 4pm and The D6 Generation Play By Mob on Friday at noon. Stop by, say hello, and join the conversation!

Dakster Sullivan is planning to attend a number of activities at this year’s Celebration, including the 501st Legion Family Banquet, the Imperial Bash, and the Kids Bash. You can spot her in her phenomenal Aalya Secura and Clone Trooper costumes during the convention. Stay tuned to GeekMom in the coming weeks for more information about all the fun Dakster is planning for Celebration VI.

PAX Prime is the biggest geek event to hit Seattle every year. GeekMoms and GeekDads can be found in the Kraken Theatre on Sunday to talk about “Raising the Next Generation of Geeks,” and will also be roaming the convention center all weekend to check out the latest and greatest in gaming.

Labor Day weekend also brings the fun at Dragon*Con in Atlanta. Mandy Horetski, Ruth Suehle, and Patricia Vollmer are in the spotlight at 1:00 on Friday afternoon for the “Are You a Geek Parent?” panel. Join the GeekMoms (and a GeekDad) to talk about family and what being a geek really means.

GeekMom will be at the World Maker Faire in Queens, NY, at the end of month. Stop by the booth to say hi to the GeekMom contingent Kathy Ceceri, Helene McLaughlin, Andrea Schwalm, Amy Kraft, and Ruth Suehle.

This August, Star Wars Celebration VI will be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. One of the evening convention highlights of the event is the Imperial Bash hosted by the 501st Legion. The 501st Legion has opened this “not to be missed event” up to the general public! With Star Wars celebrities, HUGE giveaways and exclusive swag items, you are sure to have a blast!

This year, the mighty Jabba has taken over and has issued this decree:

His Excellency, the illustrious Jabba the Hutt, requests your presence to honor The 501st Legion and invites you to attend the Imperial Bash: Party At The Palace, Friday August 24th. His loyal servants will be opening the palace doors at 9pm.

Open to all of Jabba’s loyal subjects who are the ages of 18 and up, it’s said to be the biggest party in the galaxy. Everyone in attendance will also receive exclusive swag including, but not limited to (1) pack of exclusive 501st legion trading cards with each pack containing a rare bonus card.

Tickets into the palace are $26 each. A 3% processing free is added to the price of each ticket and $.50 handling fee is added to each order.

So, what are you waiting for? Tickets are limited and 90% of them are already sold.